Strawberry plant named ‘Driscoll Destin’

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a new and distinct variety of strawberry named ‘Driscoll Destin.’ The variety is similar to the varieties ‘Biscayne’ and ‘Key Largo.’ The variety is distinguished from ‘Biscayne’ and ‘Key Largo,’ in particular, by its shorter plant height, larger flower diameter, an orange-red external fruit color, greater yield, weak leaf glossiness, very dense stipule pubescence, and a small hollow fruit center.

1. Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: The varietyis botanically identified as Fragaria×ananassa.

1.1 Variety denomination: The strawberry variety denomination is‘Driscoll Destin’.

2. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new variety originated as a result of a controlled cross between thestrawberry plants ‘73D144’ (unpatented variety) and ‘88E94’ (unpatentedvariety) in an ongoing breeding program, and was discovered as aseedling in Monterey, Calif. in 2000. The original seedling of the newcultivar was asexually propagated by stolons in a Nursery in ShastaCounty, Calif. Propagules were transplanted to a controlled breedingplot in Monterey county, Calif., where the variety was identified andselected for further evaluation. ‘Driscoll Destin’ was subsequentlyasexually propagated and underwent further testing in Hillsboroughcounty, Fla. for three years. This propagation and testing hasdemonstrated that the combination of traits disclosed herein whichcharacterize the new variety are fixed and retained true to type throughsuccessive generations of asexual reproduction.

3. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety ofstrawberry named ‘Driscoll Destin.’ The variety is botanicallyidentified as Fragaria×ananassa. The new variety is distinguished fromother varieties by a number of characteristics as set forth in Tables1-4.

4. COMPARISON TO SIMILAR VARIETIES

The varieties which we believe to be similar to ‘Driscoll Destin’ fromthose known to us are ‘Biscayne’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,186) and ‘KeyLargo’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,649). There are several characteristics ofthe new variety that are different from, or not possessed by ‘Biscayne’and ‘Key Largo’. The new variety has a shorter plant height, largerflower diameter, an orange-red external fruit color, greater yield, weakleaf glossiness, very dense stipule pubescence, and a small hollow fruitcenter.

‘Driscoll Destin’ is distinguished from its maternal parent ‘73D144’ byits larger average berry size and improved shipability. ‘DriscollDestin’ is distinguished from its paternal parent ‘88E94’ by its largeraverage berry size, improved shipping ability, and partial everbearingin comparison to the full everbearing of ‘88E94’.

5. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying photographs show typical specimens of the new variety,including fruit, foliage and flowers, in color as nearly true as it isreasonably possible to make in color illustrations of thesecharacteristics.

FIG. 1 shows the upper side of the leaves of the plant.

FIG. 2 shows the whole the plant.

FIG. 3 shows the under side and underside of the flowers.

FIG. 4 shows a close-up of the fruit.

FIG. 5 shows the fruit in longitudinal cross-section.

6. DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following detailed description of the new variety is based uponobservations taken of plants and fruit grown in Hillsborough county,Fla., U.S.A. This description is in accordance with UPOV terminology.Observations of ‘Driscoll Destin’, ‘Biscayne’ and ‘Key Largo’ were takenin side by side comparison in the 2003-2004 winter season. Plants forobservation were harvested from McArthur, Calif., and held inrefrigerated storage until planting in Hillsborough county, Fla. inOctober 2003. Plants were grown in raised beds of soil under conditionstypical of commercial strawberry production in central Florida. Fruitswere harvested twice weekly for yield determination from November 2003to March 2004. Measurements of plant, flower, and fruit characteristicswere made in January 2004, approximately four months after planting.Color designations, color descriptions, and other phenotypicaldescriptions may deviate from the stated values and descriptionsdepending upon variation in environmental, seasonal, climatic andcultural conditions. Colors are described and the most similar colordesignations are provided from The Royal Horticultural Society (R.H.S.)Colour Chart.

6.1 PROPAGATION

The new variety is principally propagated by way of stolons. Althoughpropagation by stolons is presently preferred, other known methods ofpropagating strawberry plants may be employed.

6.2 CHARACTERISTICS OF THE NEW VARIETY

Information on the new variety is presented in Tables 1, 2, 3 and 4. Inthe tables, the flowers described are secondary flowers except whereindicated. The fruit described is the secondary fruit on five month oldplants. Fruit and flower measurements are an average of both primary andsecondary fruit and flowers.

Table 1 provides information on the plant and fruit characteristics ofthe new variety ‘Driscoll Destin’ compared with characteristics of‘Biscayne’ and ‘Key Largo.’ Table 2 provides additional information ofthe plant and fruit characteristics of the new variety ‘Driscoll Destin’compared with characteristics of the varieties ‘Biscayne’ and ‘KeyLargo.’ Table 3 provides reactions of the new variety to stresses, pestsand diseases compared with reactions of the varieties ‘Biscayne’ and‘Key Largo.’ Table 4 provides isozyme characteristics of the new varietyas compared to that of the varieties ‘Biscayne’ and ‘Key Largo.’

TABLE 1 QUANTITATIVE COMPARISON OF ‘DRISCOLL DESTIN’, ‘BISCAYNE,’ AND‘KEY LARGO’ ‘Driscoll Destin’ ‘Biscayne’ ‘Key Largo’ PlantCharacteristics Height of Plant (cm) 8.1 10.0 11.6 Spread of Plant (cm)32.4 31.3 32.1 Number of Crowns 3.4 3.2 4.2 Leaf CharacteristicsTerminal Leaflet 8.2 7.6 8.4 Length (cm) Terminal Leaflet 8.3 8.1 8.0Width (cm) Terminal Leaflet 0.99 0.93 1.06 Length/Width Ratio #Teeth/Terminal 24.5 27.0 21.6 Leaflet Color of upper side 135A 137A 137Amedium to light green light green dark green Color of under side 136C139C 139C light gray light gray light gray green green green PetioleLength (cm) 8.6 9.2 11.5 Petiole Color 145B 142D 142D yellow greenyellow green yellow green Petiolule Length (mm) 7.0 5.5 6.3 PetioluleDiameter 2.1 2.2 1.9 (mm) Petiolule Color 145C 142D 142D yellow greenyellow green yellow green Bract Frequency 8% 83% 0% typically typicallysingle paired Stipule Length (cm) 3.8 3.7 3.4 Stipule Width (cm) 1.6 2.01.5 Stolon Characteristics Anthocyanin color 60A 59B red red Diameter atbract 3.59 3.24 3.30 (mm) Avg. # of Daughter 51 72 52 plants (2003Nursery) Flower Characteristics Petal Length (cm) 1.5 1.36 1.65 PetalWidth (cm) 1.3 1.49 1.46 Petal Length/Width 1.09 0.91 1.13 Ratio FlowerDiameter (cm) 3.0 2.76 2.72 Calyx Diameter (cm) 4.0 3.86 5.11 SepalLength (mm) 15.8 15.3 21.5 Sepal Width (cm) 6.6 7.22 9.15 Petal Color155C white 155C white 155C white Receptical Color 150A 150A 150A yellowgreen yellow green yellow green Anther Color 13A yellow 9A yellow 9Ayellow Fruiting Truss Length 8.8 8.7 13.6 (cm) Fruit CharacteristicsFruit Length (cm) 5.6 4.8 4.8 Fruit Width (cm) 4.3 4.0 3.5 FruitLength/Width 1.31 1.20 1.37 Ratio Average Berry Weight 28.9 26.5 23.2(g) External Color 45B 46B 46B orange red red red Internal Color 179C44A 44B orange red medium red medium red Achene Coloration 184B to 150A180B to 150C 182B to 150A greyed red to greyed red to greyed red toyellow green yellow green yellow green Achenes per berry 194 109 104Achene weight (g) 0.000077 0.00046 0.00058 2003-2004 Fruit Yield 285 243251 (g/plant)

TABLE 2 QUALITATIVE COMPARISON OF ‘DRISCOLL DESTIN’, ‘BISCAYNE,’ AND‘KEY LARGO’ ‘Driscoll Destin’ ‘Biscayne’ ‘Key Largo’ Plant Habit flatflat globose globose Canopy Density dense medium medium Vigor strongstrong medium Leaf Shape in cross section concave concave slightlyconcave Interveinal blistering very strong weak weak Glossiness weakmedium medium Number of leaflets three only three only three onlyTerminal leaflet revolute to flat revolute revolute margin profileTerminal leaflet shape obtuse rounded slightly oblique of base Terminalleaflet shape acute to obtuse rounded rounded of teeth Stipulepubescence very dense medium medium Petiole pubescence medium mediummedium Petiole pose of hairs outwards outwards upwards StolonAnthocyanin medium strong coloration Thickness thick medium Pubescencemedium medium Inflorescence Position relative to beneath level level toabove foliage Diameter of calyx same size larger much larger relative tocorolla on secondary flowers Diameter of inner same size to same sizesmaller calyx relative to outer larger on secondary flowers Spacing ofpetals overlapping overlapping overlapping Fruiting Truss Attitude atfirst prostrate prostrate semi-erect picking Fruit Predominant shapeconical to conical conical almost cylindrical Difference in shapesmoderate slight slight between primary and secondary fruits Band withoutachenes medium narrow narrow Unevenness of surface weak weak weakEvenness of color uneven even even

6.4 ISOZYME ANALYSIS

In addition to the morphological description above, the new cultivar‘Driscoll Destin’ has been analyzed to obtain an indication of itsgenetic makeup to provide further means for identifying the new varietyand distinguishing it from other somewhat similar and/or relatedstrawberry varieties. Specifically, leaf samples of ‘Driscoll Destin’,‘Biscayne’ and ‘Key Largo’ were analyzed by electrophoresis for isozymepatterns of the enzymes phosphoglucoisomerase (“PGI”), leucineaminopeptidase (“LAP”) and phosphoglucomutase (“PGM”). See J. Amer. Soc.Hort. Sci. 106:684-687. Isozyme characterization of the three varietiesis presented in Table 4, with the letters representing the bandingpatterns for each enzyme as designated in the above-identified article.

TABLE 4 ISOZYME ANALYSIS FOR ‘DRISCOLL DESTIN’, ‘BISCAYNE,’ AND ‘KEYLARGO’ ‘Driscoll Locus Destin’ ‘Biscayne’ ‘Key Largo’ PGI A2 A1 A1 LAPB3 B3 B3 PGM C2 C4 C4

1. A new and distinct variety of strawberry plant, substantially asshown and described.